Tree Gene Conservation Partnership

American Public Gardens Association is partnering with the United States Forest Service’s Forest Health Protection to establish living gene banks of US at-risk tree species, by collecting seed from across its native range to capture broad genetic diversity then distributing propagules to public gardens for safeguarding in ex situ collections. Efforts focus on taxa native to US forests which cannot be conserved through traditional seedbanking methods. The current partnership began in 2015, and annually awards matching funds on a competitive basis to Association members to support scouting and collecting trips, propagation, and distribution of propagules.

Browse partnership-supported collaborative projects targeting at-risk tree species.